


And I'm singing this song to you

by Mother_Mercury



Category: Queen (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Roger's a little shit, Sad Brian May, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:22:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29436000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mother_Mercury/pseuds/Mother_Mercury
Summary: Brian fell back on his pillow, clutching his heart as he listened to the catchy tune playing in his mind. Many thoughts raced through his no longer quiet mind. The most important one being that today is probably his soulmate's 16th birthday.“Happy birthday,” Brian whispered to himself, a few tears falling from his eyes. “Wherever you are.”
Relationships: Brian May/Roger Taylor
Comments: 24
Kudos: 39
Collections: Meant To Be: The Soulmate Challenge





	And I'm singing this song to you

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This little piece is part of our discord servers Soulmate Challenge. My prompt is when you turn 16 you can hear whatever music your soulmate is listening to (unless you are with them). 
> 
> Thank you to Em, @sweetestsight, for being my beta! And Lily, @PumpkinLily, for the beautiful and clever art.  
> Very grateful for these two.
> 
> I'm on Tumblr @ Mother-mercury44
> 
> I hope you enjoy this. Happy Valentine's Day, I love you all.

Most teenagers turn 16 and are excited to hear what sort of music taste their soulmate has. Brian was excited to finally listen to music. To no longer live a life so dull, quiet, and alone. He’ll never understand why his parents seem to be so against him listening to music. He can’t even mention wanting to play music around them. They’ll respond with the same response about how life is much more than music and your soulmate. That his studies come before everything and anyone.

Leaving Brian feeling alone and a bit unprepared for his soulmate.  
  
So as Brian’s friends started to turn 16, he listened carefully and quietly as his friends exchanged different songs and artists. He listened with a jealous ear as they spoke about hearing music their soulmate is listening to. He laughed at his one mate who was being driven crazy by having the same song play on repeat all day. He watched in awe as his other mate only heard love songs all day.

Brian couldn’t wait to hear his soulmate's music choice. He didn’t care if it was the same song all day and night. He just wanted to hear something. Any sort of music to not feel so alone.

The morning of his 16th birthday, Brian heard nothing. Most of his friends assured him it’s normal. That maybe his soulmate isn’t 16 yet. Which just meant he had to wait just a bit longer. 

So he patiently waited. 

His 17 birthday came and went, his mind still silent. Some of his mates have come across their soulmates while some were still stuck only listening to music. A year later on his 18th birthday, Brian went through the same disappointment. He tried to not let his jealousy show when it came to his friends and their happiness. He wished he was someone who could complain about a song repeating in his head all day.

Brian woke up one week after his birthday to music playing. Which was odd since his parents nearly forbid music to be played in their home.

_You say it’s your birthday_   
_It’s my birthday too, yeah_

“What the hell,” Brian mumbled as he viciously rubbed his eyes.

_I’m glad it’s your birthday_   
_Happy Birthday to you_

As he sat up in bed, Brian looked around to find out where the music was coming from. It took a moment for his early morning brain fog to clear and for him to realize it’s playing in his head. 

Brian fell back on his pillow, clutching his heart as he listened to the catchy tune playing in his mind. Many thoughts raced through his no longer quiet mind. The most important one being that today is probably his soulmate's 16th birthday. 

“Happy birthday,” Brian whispered to himself, a few tears falling from his eyes. “Wherever you are.”

The same birthday song played most of the day in Brian’s head. And he loved every moment of it. Especially knowing that his soulmate was clearly enjoying their birthday.

After that day, Brian really never had a quiet and dull moment again. He rarely felt alone anymore, which is feeling Brian used to feel nearly all the time. Music played non stop, especially at night. Sometimes his head was so full with music, that sleep didn’t come to him. Still, he welcomes the music with a smile every night. Even if he’s going to be exhausted in the morning.

Brian had been a bit too invested in hearing music, he hadn’t stopped to think how his soulmate had heard nothing. How his soulmate might be feeling a bit alone without Brian playing any music. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to play anything, he couldn’t. His family didn’t own a radio. He spent nearly all his time in the library or at his desk in his bedroom. He felt like a terrible soulmate sometimes. That feeling never stuck around long. It faded as Brian worked on his studies while catchy tunes played in his head.

It wasn’t until Brian went off to Uni that he had the ability to freely play music. That didn’t necessarily mean that Brian played music. He couldn’t explain why he felt so nervous to play music for his soulmate. His soulmate seemed to have no trouble playing music at all hours of the night. Sometimes, Brian is fully convinced that his soulmate must live on the other side of the world. So, Brian spent time alone in his dorm flipping through radio stations. Quickly turning off the radio, in fear that his soulmate might hate the song. He found himself writing down lyrics from songs his soulmate plays in his notebook and then heading to record shops to find the album. Copying his soulmates song choice isn’t the most normal and natural thing to do. But it’s not the worst thing either, especially when his soulmate has pretty good taste in music.

Even with all the nerves this caused, this was the happiest Brian has been since the week after his 18th birthday.

\- Two Years Later-

Brian sat in the commons area of his dorm, working on the same paper for the last few hours. His eyes are burning from being up this late and the same few songs have been playing over and over in his head.

_No reason to get excited_   
_The thief, he kindly spoke_   
_There are many here among us_   
_Who feel that life is but a joke_

“Bloody hell,” Brian cursed to himself after realizing he wrote down the lyrics to the song in his essay. “Please turn off the music, just until this paper is done.”

A few people nearby stared at Brian as he covered his ears and physically shook his head. He knew none of this works to get the music to stop playing but it’s always worth a shot. Even if people stare at him like he’s gone mad.

Even with Brian not being able to concentrate on his assignment, he’s still not mad at his soulmate. This song is one of Brian’s favorites. Every time he hears it, he gets the urge to purchase his own guitar. He would love to play around and come up with his own sound, but that would get in the way of his studies.

So it’ll remain a dream for now.

“Enough with the coursework,” Freddie said, taking a seat next to Brian.

Now he’s really not getting any work done.

“I’m nearly done, Fred,” Brian sighed. “I just want to sleep after this.”

Freddie grabbed Brian’s paper and examined it carefully. “Jimi Hendrix lyrics don’t belong in this paper.”

“My soulmate has been playing this song for close to two hours now,” Brian smiled. “It’s stuck in my head.”

“Torture him back,” Freddie grinned. “Come on! Come with me to my drummers dorm, we’re gonna bug his soulmate and play music all night. Since I found my soulmate, it’s not as fun for me anymore. Let me live through you. Pretty please, Bri.”

Brian ignored the puppy dog eyes Freddie was giving him and took his paper back from the older man. This isn’t the first time Freddie asked him and it definitely wouldn’t be the last. Freddie had calmed down a bit since finding out the bass player in his band was his soulmate, making their love story the sweetest Brian has ever heard. Making his own heart ache even more to meet his own soulmate.

“I have to study,” Brian said as he quickly packed up his belongings before Freddie dragged him with him. “I’ll see you in class on Monday.”

That night in bed, Brian didn’t even try to fall asleep. The constant loop of music playing meant sleep wasn’t coming any time soon. If Freddie didn’t find his soulmate already, Brian would place his money on Freddie being his soulmate and the older man torturing him on purpose.

A quick glance at the clock and seeing it was nearly 4 in the morning had Brian groaning out loud. And making a promise to himself that tomorrow he’s going to start playing music for his own soulmate. Hoping it’ll get his soulmate to relax with the late night music.

-

Brian picked up The White Album, a favorite of his soulmates. His soulmate hasn’t played this record in quite a while and Brian misses it. 

“That’s a good one,” the bloke next to Brian said. 

“Yeah,” Brian said a bit caught off guard. “I haven’t listened to it in a while.”

“Oh I understand,” the bloke smiled. “I overplayed it for a good two years. Drove my family mad. I’m Roger.”

“Nice to meet you, Roger. I’m Brian.”

Brian’s heart fluttered at the stranger's big blue eyes and kind smile. The two started chatting like old friends. What quickly started off as a discussion of the White Album moved to Brian being invited to Roger’s dorm to listen to music. Roger had recommended him albums but Brian had to sheepishly admit he didn’t own a record player yet. 

That’s how Brian ended up on the floor of Roger’s dorm while clutching Jimi Hendrix’s album Electric Ladyland. Roger laid next to him, their fingertips occasionally brushing each other. Something about Roger radiated comfort to Brian. The blond’s smile made Brian feel like he was laying in the sun. This was the first time in a long time that Brian’s head wasn’t full. He felt at peace. 

_Oh, I want to show you the different emotions_   
_Electric woman waits for you and me_   
_So it’s time we take a ride_

“This is my favorite one,” Roger said, breaking their comfortable silence. “He’s got this incredible guitar sound. It’s unbelievable.”

Brian rolled over on his side to face Roger. “He makes me want to play music.”

“Why don’t you?”

“Parents don’t care for music,” Brian said quietly. “They might kill me if I picked up a guitar.”

_While we fly right over the love-filled sea_   
_Look up ahead, I see the loveland, soon you’ll understand_

“You could be the next Jimi Hendrix and never know,” Roger said facing Brian with a mischievous smile. “We can call you Brimi and everything.”

_Make love, make love_   
_Make love, make love_

Brian closed his eyes, letting the music fill his ears. “I don’t have the time right now.”

“Alright, Brimi,” Roger joked. Brian heard him roll over and the music get a bit too loud for their enclosed space. “I will keep bothering you until you pick up a guitar.”

-

Roger didn’t give up on pestering him. 

Every time the two ended up on Roger’s dorm floor, the blond brought it up. It didn’t help when Roger and Freddie discovered they both knew Brian, allowing them both to pester him about joining. Even with his constant pestering, Brian still loved spending time with Roger. Brian was able to listen to music with a calm and clear head all while laying next to a literal ray of sunshine. Which meant the world to Brian since he spent most of his time with a full and crowded head. Between listening to music with Roger and being kept up at night by his soulmate, Brian really never felt alone.

There was a small part of Brian that felt guilty for listening to music as often as he did with Roger. It meant the two of them were both bugging their soulmates in the middle of the day. The guilt left Brian’s mind every night when his soulmate decided to keep him up late with music.

Brian likes to think they’re playing a silly little game with each other.

Sitting in the common area of the dorm with a quiet mind, Brian decided to work on his assignments. Not wanting to waste the peace and quiet his soulmate is giving him. It didn’t last long as Roger sat himself next to him with a grin.

“You should come to rehearsals today,” Roger said casually, like he doesn’t ask everyday. 

“I have to-”

“Study. I know, I know,” Roger mocked playfully before his expression turned serious. “Would you want to help me with a song later?”

Brian thought about saying no. It would make sense for him to say no. He doesn’t have any experience writing music and his taste in music is whatever Roger shows him. He doesn’t understand why Roger thinks he’ll be any help but Brian can never say no to hanging out with Roger.

“Yeah, of course,” Brian smiled, ignoring the butterflies in his stomach. “Let’s meet here after your rehearsals?”

“Yes! Perfect, Brimi,” Roger nearly shouted.

The blond man gave him a quick hug before running on his way. Brian tried his hardest to ignore the tingling feeling Roger left on his body.

-

“Is it cheesy?” Roger asked. “I don’t really want it to be cheesy. I want people to be able to relate it to anything in their life.”

Brian scanned over a few lyrics Roger had scribbled down. “It’s really good, Rog. You should sing it so I get the full effect.”

“Yesterday my life was in ruin. Now today I know what I’m doing. Got a feeling I should be doing alright,” Roger sang softly.

“You have a beautiful voice,” Brian said in awe. “You should add one doin alright after this verse.”

Roger scribbled down Brian’s suggestion before singing it again. Brian couldn’t help but close his eyes and listen to the blond man sing again. Roger had to shake him back to reality as the two worked on the song together. Brian never thought song writing is something that would come so naturally to him. Or maybe it’s just that him and Roger seem to work together well. 

“It’s nearly done,” Roger smiled. “I can’t wait until I can show Freddie.”

“You haven’t shown him?”

“God no,” Roger said quickly. “Not until it’s done. You’re the only one who even knows I’m working on writing a song.”

Brian smiled at the thought of Roger trusting him and wanting to show him the song before anyone else. 

The two stayed up late working on the song until it was finished. 

“Sorry for keeping you up so late,” Roger said with a yawn. 

“It’s okay,” Brian smiled. “My head’s been full for so long now, I haven’t gotten a good night's sleep in probably four years.”

“Sleep is important, Brimi,” Roger explained. “So I’ll let you go and get some. I wouldn’t want to keep you up.”

The kind smile on Roger’s face made it hard for Brian to disagree. Sleep is important and he doesn’t get enough of it. So, Roger walked Brian to his dorm before heading to his own. Brian prepared himself for the sleepless night ahead of him as he changed into his pajamas and climbed into bed. Thinking how he would have rather stayed up with Roger than toss and turn in his bed alone all night.

Once Brian was in bed, his head was quiet. The lack of music made it difficult for Brian to relax. Almost as if his mind and body have grown accustomed to the late night music. He felt a bit lonely without it. After what felt like hours, Brian finally gave up on sleep. He laid staring at the ceiling, wondering what his soulmate was up to. Hoping they’re okay, it’s odd for no music to be playing at this hour. He wonders if their lonely, Brian is all too familiar with loneliness.

Not wanting them to feel alone, Brian started to sing his current favorite song.

“Yesterday my life was in ruin. Now today God knows what I’m doing. Anyway I should be doin alright,” Brian sang softly to himself. “Doing alright.”

A few minutes of singing to himself and imagining what the guitar part might sound like had Brian thinking it wouldn’t hurt him to join Roger at rehearsals. It wouldn’t hurt to finally pick up a guitar after wanting to for nearly his whole life. He could make both Uni and music his main priorities, he just won’t tell his parents. It’s not there-

_knock, knock._

Brian froze in his bed. There aren’t many people who knock on his door and definitely not anyone who would be knocking at this hour. Nervous someone maybe having an emergency, Brian jumped out of bed and opened his door. Only to be greeted by a wide eyed Roger with a cheeky grin on his face.

“Rog,” Brian said with a raised eyebrow.

“Don’t Rog me,” Roger smiled, letting himself into Roger’s room. “I never heard more than a few seconds of my music playing in my head, ever. So you can imagine my surprise when I’m laying in bed tonight and I hear my own bloody song playing in my head. My own song being sung by you, which makes sense since you are the only person who has ever heard it.”

Brian blinked a few times as his mind tried to process what Roger was saying. Roger took a few steps closer to him, effectively closing the small gap between them.

“You had my mind so quiet,” Roger explained. “I thought you didn’t exist. I thought I didn’t have a soulmate. But I do and it’s you.”

The blond looked relaxed by the end of his speech, as if a weight was lifted off his shoulders. Brian took in his words and played them over and over again in his head.

It’s you.

“I haven’t had a peaceful moment to myself in two years,” Brian chuckled. “I could barely sleep cos of you.”

“Sorry,” Roger blushed.

“Don’t be,” Brian cooed. “It’s like you were there even when you weren’t.”

Brian cupped Roger’s face and kissed his lips gently. It was a kiss totally worth the wait. Worth the full head and the sleepless nights. Worth having to wait two years for Roger to turn 16. This kiss was everything thought about since the day he woke up to Birthday by The Beatles playing. 

“Happy birthday,” Brian whispered into Roger’s lips.

“I was gonna say ‘wow’,” Roger whispered back. “But I like happy birthday.”

Not bothering to explain himself, Brian kissed Roger once more. He figures they have the rest of their lives for him to tell this story.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, I appreciate it so much.
> 
> Thank you in advance to any kudos and comments, means the world and more to me.
> 
> xoxo :')


End file.
